some how my igntion got messed up and the only way to turn the car off is to stall it the disconnect the -battery terminal. Can i splice into 4 wires that goes into the alternator and use an on/off switch to kill the power to the car so i dont have to stall the car out. im just not sure witch wire(s) to splice into.

 

why not just fix it the correct way?

 

i have no idea what is wrong with it. the ignition is totally un plugged and still runs with no key in the ignition. I have the starter wired to a switch, so technically i could start the car with no key. All i do is connect the battery cable to give it power.

 

MM&Y of car would help???

What do you mean,"the ignition is totally un plugged and still runs with no key in the ignition" where is the "ignition" unplugged? 94

 

ok this is a total shot in the dark, but would this issue have anything to do with the main relay?

 

its a 90 crx si.

I mean the car runs with no key in the ignition. I have the starter wired directly to a switch. the only reason i need the key in the ignition is to unlock the column.

 

Not likely, unless it is back-feeding power to the ign. circuit. 94

 

That would mean the ign. key cylinder/steering lock housing is working as it should and the problem is most likely the ign. switch itself, [electrical part].

On some Honda/Acura the ign. switch can be removed from the key cylinder/steering lock housing and by the looks of it...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/honda...ayphotohosting you can do so on your 90 CRX, [two Philips machine screws], remove them and pull the switch, look for small "chunk" of metal falling out when you remove the switch.
Let me know what you find. 94

 

yea it is removeable. The funny thing is i just replaced the ignition switch with a brand new one from honda about a 2 yrs ago. I didnt think they went bad that fast. What would the small chunk of metal falling out be?

 

The small chunk of metal would be the part of the key cylinder that fits into the ign. switch to turn it, I have seen a few Honda/Acura, [and other makes] that that piece is broken off the cylinder mechanism.
Something is keeping you from turning off the ign., [switch].

What happens if you unplug the ign. switch harness, both plugs? 94

 

it still stays on if i unplug both harness's.

That's why this has m stumped.

 

That means ign. power is being supplied from some place else.

What aftermarket equipment have you installed into the car, what mods have been done to the car?

What is not stock/OEM on the car?

At some point a 12V+ constant circuit is in contact with the 12V+ switched ign. circuit, that can be a pair of wires "shorted" to each other, one of them a 12V+ constant and the other a 12V+ switched ign., this can happen if the two leads are running together and they get pinched together by something, it could be in a component that is connected to both 12V+ constant and the 12V+ switched ign.

You are going to need a multimeter to do some testing. 94

 

well i guess ill be taking it somewhere, because i know nothing about wiring.

this problem came up the same exact time the alternator took a crap.

what kind of aftermarket stuff do you mean?

 

Radios, gauges, gps's....basically anything electrical that didnt come from the factory.

its worth taking a peek at all of that stuff and just looking for the obvious (even if you know nothing about wiring, its easy to spot 2 wires smashed in between 2 things). electrical work can get expensive, because we charge by the hour.

if it started EXACTLY when the alternator was replaced then that is obviously the first place to start looking.

 

well the car is pretty gutted with no radio and only a boost gauge.

where do i look around the alternator? should i trace the wires that come out of the plug in the alternator back to the engine bay harness?

 

one night i went to leave my house and started the car and i noticed the battery light on, so i was like "damnit the alternator took a dump" and i went to turn the key in the off position to turn the car off and the damn thing kept running. It just did it out of nowhere.

 

The alt. has both a 12V+ constant, [batt. charge lead] and an ign. lead running to it, white will be the charge lead, [thickest of the leads at the alt.] the ign. lead is probably a black/yellow, [exciter lead].
Unplug the alt. and see what happens, ign. switch plugs must be plugged back in, start car with key and then turn key off, let us know.94

 

thanks. will do that in the morning.